


We'll be alright

by captainhurricane



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Love Confessions, M/M, S6 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-24 03:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14946347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainhurricane/pseuds/captainhurricane
Summary: With you, I have hope. (On the way home, the Lions take a break.)





	We'll be alright

The road home is long. They have not seen the Earth in months, for so long that it’s become a fever dream for all: a shining beautiful beacon at the back of their minds. Some part of Keith had already lost hope of ever returning: not that Earth had ever had anything for him in the first place, especially after the passing of his father. Lance holds Earth close to his heart, still thinking of his family and wondering if they think he’s dead. Hunk writes letters to his mother and never sends them, keeps them in a box in the mess in Yellow. Pidge is just glad to see her parents again, desperate for it. She burns from the inside out as bright as her Lion, growling through space and time. 

 

For Shiro? 

 

He’s died. He’s gotten back. This body is his but not his. This body tried to kill Keith. He crash landed on Earth, got swept up in this adventure and back to space again. He doesn’t know if he misses Earth. 

 

The road home is long and they are all exhausted.

 

Even Lance’s chatter dies down at one point, too tired to keep it going. 

 

It’s Allura who has the sense to call for a break. “The planet Naxir is just a few ticks away,” she says. The bags under her eyes tell everyone enough: all the stress, all the exhaustion from the betrayal of someone she thought she could trust and even love, it’s all weighing on her too. “We need to stock up a bit.” 

 

“Lead the way, Allura,” Keith says and doesn’t even have to pull at the controls to get Black turning left. She’s listening, more closely than ever before now. She’s saved both him and Shiro so often and Keith loves her.

 

Not as much as he loves the man sleeping hunched in a cot right behind his back. Keith looks at him, at that head of white hair and his heart thuds a steady beat of love, love, love. 

“We’re gonna take a little break, Shiro.” Shiro. It’s Shiro. It’s been years for Keith, months and months for Shiro. But it’s him. This time. For sure. 

 

“All of this cramped space is getting to all of us,” Krolia murmurs from behind him. “There is still a long way to go until Earth.” She’s kept a careful watch over both Shiro and Keith. 

 

His mother. Even after two years with just her and the wolf, now curled up close to Shiro, Keith still has to look at her for long to realize she’s really there. 

 

She smiles at him when he looks. He smiles back, his gaze flickering towards Shiro.  It will take time to get used to Shiro looking like that now: to Shiro having that body now. But Keith will make it. He’s no longer alone. 

 

He catches Krolia’s lifted eyebrow and quickly looks away again. 

 

Keith follows Allura’s lead to this Naxir: it’s small, tucked away in this hidden corner of the universe, so insignificant that it’s gotten largely unnoticed by the wars. As far as Allura knows, the only life it has are plants. 

 

So they make a stop there, unload themselves and their passengers onto the chittering, chattering grass and blue trees. 

 

“Ohhh boy it feels good to stretch my legs,” Lance exclaims and stretches his arms too. Red growls behind him, her big head between her paws. The other Lions go quiet as well, patiently waiting for them to do their duties. 

 

Hunk points at something interesting and drags both Pidge and Lance with him, despite Lance throwing one desperate look at Allura- currently deep in conversation with Romelle as they get a few boxes out of Blue. Coran’s usual chatter has gone quiet, an uncharacteristic frown between his brows. 

 

Keith almost goes to him but decides against it. How do you comfort a man who just made the decision to destroy a 10 000 years of history and life and home for the universe? 

 

Keith sighs and takes Shiro by the arm, gently. “How do you feel?” 

 

“Good, despite all things,” Shiro huffs. He leans a little too heavily against Keith but Keith is not about to complain. He would carry Shiro on his shoulders if he had to. 

 

“I think we should all take a walk,” Krolia remarks from nearby, tapping on her communicator. She offers them a smile, reaches to scratch the space wolf between its ears. “Go on, kids. Keep your communicators on.”

 

Alright, mom, Keith wants to say. “Okay,” he says instead and leads Shiro away into the whispering blue trees and the air that smells faintly of blueberries. His ears feel hot as he shifts his hand, grabs Shiro’s hand instead of his arm. 

 

But Shiro says nothing, merely follows his lead with slightly unsteady legs. 

“Are you sure you feel fine, Shiro? We can stop.” 

“Fresh air does good,” Shiro says and gives Keith’s hand a squeeze. “Look, I think I see a lake. Except the water is orange.” 

 

They share a look, both marvelling at the way they have changed, at the months spent missing each other, longing for each other. Keith’s eyes prickle suspiciously. “Y-yea. Let’s go check it out.” He doesn’t let go of Shiro’s hand. 

 

They make their way through grass and plants that reach out to touch: not maliciously, not aggressively. Feather-light brushes that send splashes of blue light over them. 

“It smells like - “ 

“Blueberries,” Keith finishes. “You… you used to sometimes bring me blueberries in secret.” He dodges a hanging branch. The tree makes a whispery little sound, like a sigh. 

“Hmm,” says Shiro. When Keith glances at him, there is such wistfulness on that beloved face that Keith wishes he hadn’t brought up a memory. 

 

“It’s fine if you don’t remember,” Keith whispers. “It was a long time ago. And you’ve been through a lot since then.” Something crunches under his boot. It’s a fallen, dead branch. It glows faintly blue. Keith murmurs a quiet sorry in his mind and goes on.

 

“You have been through a lot too, Keith. Don’t undermine your experiences,” Shiro says. His kindness is a knife. Keith’s heart burns. He would cross the universe for Shiro. He has crossed the universe for Shiro and will happily do it all over again. 

 

Keith lets his hand slip free. “I wasn’t the one who died.” The lake glitters ahead of them, orange like the sunsets they used to love. “I looked for you.” He draws a deep breath and turns back to Shiro, begins yanking off his breast plate. “Let’s take a moment, Shiro.” 

 

“Keith - “

 

“Please don’t say anything.” 

 

“Anything?” Shiro’s hand is placed on Keith’s wrist. So gentle. 

 

“I didn’t want to say it in front of the others, but - “Keith lets the breastplate drop. Lets his forehead drop against Shiro’s shoulder. “And no one else knows. I love you. It’s okay if you don’t feel the same, but I love you with all of my heart.”

 

Shiro’s breath hitches. He shifts, lips pressing against Keith’s temple. “Oh, Keith.” His voice trembles. “H-how - how can you ever - look at me. Please.” 

 

Keith’s eyes are dry when he does. He’s not certain what emotion they’re showing but Shiro’s eyes go soft. Shiro places his palm on Keith’s cheek, rubs his thumb on the scar. “I don’t know how or do I care to know why, but even as I was stuck on the astral plane, I heard you. I saw you. You have cared for me for so very long, saved me so often that I can never pay it back. No, let me speak. Please.” 

 

Keith closes his mouth. His hands are on Shiro’s chest, curled on the fabric.

 

“I am so proud of you, first of all.” 

 

Keith makes such a broken noise that Shiro’s jaw clenches. “I am. I may have only seen glimpses of you and the others, but you have grown  so much. Even if he - well, me - was taunting you, you never gave in. You kept on believing in me. Most importantly, you kept on believing in yourself. You are so strong, Keith.” Shiro begins to caress his cheek, brushes away a tear. “I would be a fool not to love you back.” 

 

The reaction is beautiful: a light spreads out on Keith’s face, his lips parting. “Shiro,” is all he manages to say. 

“Of course I do.” Shiro kisses him carefully on the forehead, on those silky smooth strands. “How could I not? You are my family. My friend. My saviour. And I am so damn proud of you. Now let’s take this armour off and take a break.” 

 

Keith sighs. “Just - “ he pulls Shiro into a hug. He inhales and exhales deep. “Yeah. Let’s go.” If he wipes his face quickly, then Shiro is gentleman enough not to comment on it. 

 

They strip each other off the rest of their armour and find a grassy patch underneath one of those singing, whispering blue trees. It comes natural for them to sit down, for Keith to tug Shiro against himself. Shiro nuzzles his neck and smiles, his arm around Keith’s waist, his legs over Keith’s legs. 

“I’m glad to have gotten a second chance,” he murmurs. 

Keith grips him tight, caresses his back. “I don’t - “ I don’t want to live without you. I don’t want to do this without you. Don’t go. Don’t leave me. Don’t ever leave me again. “I don’t ever want to lose you again,” is all he manages. He stares at the glittering, glimmering lake. 

“I’m here now, Keith. It’s going to be okay.” Shiro caresses Keith in return, places a kiss against that slender neck. 

“I’m the one who should be saying that.” 

“I said it first.” 

**Author's Note:**

> i can't hear you over the sound of that I Love You 
> 
> come scream at me about Sheith on [tumblr](aarnivalkeaa.tumblr.com)


End file.
